The present invention relates generally to case packing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular sliding door grid for use in ultra high-speed case packing.
In response to the demands for diversity in today""s case packing market (e.g., full depth RSC or Bliss cases), the case packing industry has been modifying case packer technology to provide customers with grids that handle a wider variety of multi-packed products. Not only are multi-packs in greater demand, but the variety of pack styles has also proliferated in recent years. Quick changeover and higher speeds are required to meet this recent surge in demand.
The speed and changeover limitations of the older technology are directly related to the complexity and shortfalls of xe2x80x9ctrap doorxe2x80x9d grids, such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,351 to Fallas. The required movement of the trap door""s vertical swing during case packing limits the maximum speed of case packing operations. For applications requiring speeds of 20 cases or less per minute, this is generally not a concern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,734 to Hartness describes a low speed case packer employing two horizontally acting trap doors actuated by pneumatic cylinders. Bottles are indexed onto the trap door by fours until three rows are filled. Pneumatic cylinders are then actuated to slide the trap doors and drop the bottles. The Hartness device provides a low cost, reliable packing device, but it is not suitable for ultra-high speed case packing.
What is needed in the art is a low cost solution for ultrahigh speed case packing.
The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the modular sliding door grid of the present invention. The modular sliding door grid includes a sliding door mounted on a low profile frame. The sliding door is actuated by at least one pivot bar, connected at one end to the sliding door and at the other end to a mechanical linkage. Actuation of a frame bar, which is linked to the mechanical linkage, in a forward direction causes pivot bar to move around a center-point to allow the sliding door to move in a backward direction.
The pivot bar configuration described shows a rugged design that allows for rapid actuation and retraction, such that the 40 or more cases may be packed in one minute. Further, the modularity of the sliding door grid allows a user to install or change out the sliding door grid in five minutes or less to accommodate varying packaging requirements based on the products to be packaged.